


(sorta) Midnight Feast

by Rozilla



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bucky Barnes Feels, F/M, M/M, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Cravings, Protective Steve Rogers, Protective Thor, Strange Food Combos, The Winter Soldier - Freeform, Tony Being Tony, midnight eating, pregnant jane
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-09
Updated: 2015-03-01
Packaged: 2018-02-28 20:27:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2745875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rozilla/pseuds/Rozilla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky can eat real food for the first time in over seventy years- so he gets up to scoff weird combinations with a pregnant Jane Foster.<br/>Should she REALLY be so chill about eating cookies and hummus with a former Hydra super-assassin?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Someone already used this idea on tumblr a while back, but I thought about it whilst re-watching TWS and wanted to try and have a crack at it myself.

'Oh look, great minds think alike!'

Bucky closed the fridge door, glanced round, not startled by the noise, for he long been trained _not_ to be startled. He reached for a weapon out of instinct but stopped himself (making a mental note to tell Sam and Steve later) when he saw where the voice had come from. Jane waved from the sofa, a plate of hummus and what appeared to be cookies set on the table in front of her. She leaned forward with great difficult and winced 'I'm only, like, three months along but you wouldn't know it, guess that's what I get for shacking up with a god-like alien huh?'

She was extremely pregnant, dressed in one of Thor's shirts and some ratty sweats, laying back again to ease the burden else where.

'You hungry?' Jane patted the space beside her 'So long as you're not freaked out by my food choices you're more than welcome to join me.'

He tried to smile, his face still growing used to the muscle movement, and took his food selection to sit with her. He wasn't sure if he wanted to join her really, but he was growing used to the company of others now- others who weren't afraid of him or had a job or task for him to do. She whistled when she saw what he'd got 'You pregnant to?'

He'd lived mainly on protein heavy liquids and supplement pills when he was the Winter Soldier, he couldn't remember the last solid, good meal he had eaten. Apparently his Hydra file recommended that food, any real food, may accidentally trigger memories from his life before the brain washing. In front of him now were things he'd just picked up because they looked interesting and Tony Stark packed the fridge with a Norse God, a Super Soldier, two assassins and a barely contained rage monster in mind. Super metabolisms required a ridiculous amount of food that could supply a school cafeteria for a year (a school for super athletes mind you). There were ready made shakes, large hunks of chicken and fish, vegetables, peanut bars- and so much junk food for 'cheat' days. Thor and Steve could clear out the fridge by themselves, even before Jane showed up. Bucky had hoped to eat alone so that he wouldn't get stared at- but he had assembled (ha ha ha) chicken, raspberry jello, cooked slices of salmon, peanut butter and a hunk of cheese. Jane hummed in admiration 'That looks way too good right now, but I'll resist stealing it.'

He still tried to smile and offered her some peanut butter, which she smeared on a slice of chicken. She rolled her eyes back in her head when she took a bite 'This is _so_ wrong it has to be right.'

Thor had commented to the others that Jane had become more... forthright in her pregnancy. Not that she was a shrinking wallflower before hand. She reminded him a little of... who was it? He remembered her face, but her name was just out of reach. Dark hair, large eyes, beautiful, sweet on Steve that was for sure-

'I'm sorry, I bet you didn't wake up at one am just to have to make chit chat with a pregnant lady.'

Bucky managed the smallest of smiles 'It's all right. You need food.'

'Do I ever,' Jane sighed 'I swear I've eaten more in the last few months than I have in my entire life, this kid just never lets up!'

She stroked her belly lovingly 'You eat like your Daddy you know that? Except he has the decency not to make someone else do the eating for him.'

'Peggy.'

She turned to him in amazement 'What?'

'Peggy,' he said again, then shook his head as if dislodging a memory 'sorry, you're not...'

'I'm Jane,' she patted his metal hand 'it's okay.'

He nodded 'Yes, I remember.'

She offered him a cookie 'These are great, Tony had 'em specially brought over from some super rich bakery up-state. Not too shabby.'

He took one and bit into it- the sweetness overwhelming for a moment, but he went with it. It was... good. Really good. He finished it in a few bites and took another, smearing it in hummus.

'You have got the right idea! You're officially my new friend.'

She reached down beside her and lifted a flask of protein shake 'Want some? It's vanilla, but I added tomato juice, it just seems to work.'

He tried some, it was sweet and earthy and... satisfying.

'I've still got six months of this, _urgh_ ,' Jane shuddered 'If Stark calls me fat one more time I will sit on him.'

'You're pregnant, not fat.'

'Don't worry, it's his idea of a joke,' Jane assured him 'he's just... well, he _thinks_ he's being funny. He's mostly a jerk. At least Bruce is nice to me.'

She took the flask back from him and took a long, deep chug 'Oh god. I miss my feet, haven't seen them in a while. Hope they're still there.'

'They are,' Bucky checked.

Jane laughed 'You're sweet.'

He stared at her as if she were mad- she _did_ know about him right?

'Thank you.'

They just ate in silence for a while, no noise but the rustle of packets and the occasional loud crunch. The cookies were gone within fifteen minutes, Jane finishing off the hummus by mixing it with jello and eating it with a spoon. He was smearing the fish with the last of the peanut butter and enjoying her company.

'Buck,' Steve and Thor both entered the common room kitchen with caution, though Thor's was edged with fear as he glanced first to Jane, then to Bucky. Bucky felt his old senses immediately begin to assess the threat- alien, armed, possibly hostile- but relaxed a little in Steve's presence. They were both dressed casually, in Stark issued Avengers sweats, but Thor carried Mjolnir, hand tight around the handle.

'Jane, what is the matter?' He asked, eyes still on Bucky.

'Nothing, I was hungry,' she dusted her hands off 'he was up to, asked him to join me.'

Bucky kept still arms still, careful to show he was no threat to anyone, least of all Jane, meeting Steve's eye pleadingly.

'Thor, it's okay,' Steve put a calming hand on Thor's shoulder 'she's safe.'

'Of course I was safe,' Jane rolled her eyes 'and if you didn't want me awake in the middle of the night stuffing my face you shouldn't have knocked me up.'

Thor's face softened with a smile 'I know my love, I was... worried when I found you gone from our bed.'

'Well, I'm alright,' she struggled to her feet 'I may need some help cleaning up-'

'I'll clean,' Bucky said, nodding to her 'you should rest now.'

'You sure?' Jane asked.

'I am, thank you.'

'Thor, I know this is really lazy, but I can barely stand up let alone walk, could you?'

'Of course Jane.'

Thor walked over to her and gently picked her up as Bucky began to clean around him, Steve looking over at Thor, nodding to him as he carried Jane to bed. Thor frowned at Bucky, but met Steve's eye and smiled 'Good night to you Steve.'

'You to Thor and sleep well Jane.'

'Oh I will,' she waved to Bucky 'night-night.'

Bucky waved back, much to their amazement and he and Steve cleared up the mess on the table and put the garbage bag into the chute.

'Jane's nice,' Bucky said, voice soft and light for the first time in... well, far too long.

Steve nodded 'She's a real firecracker, Thor's very lucky.'

'Yes.'

Steve held Bucky's hand 'C'mon Buck, you need sleep to okay?'

Bucky followed him to his quarters, settling down with Steve by his side 'I was not going to hurt her.'

'I know Buck, so does she... Thor's just... over protective. Cause of the baby.'

'I understand.'

He still looked hurt, wounded almost, but Steve could not help that and neither could Bucky. It would be just one more thing to work through. At least Jane was at ease around him... but that might be because she didn't know.

 

Jane had a long body pillow that helped her sleep as most positions were pretty uncomfortable now. 'It will not be long now my love,' Thor lay beside her, propping himself up on his elbow and wrapping an arm about her waist 'until we hold our son in our arms.'

'Easy for you to say,' she mumbled 'I'll bet six months is a freaking breeze when you're not incubating a demi-god.'

Thor chuckled 'I shall do all I can to make the time pass a little quicker.'

'Hmm,' Jane's eyes gently fluttered shut 'promises promises.'

He gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek 'Sleep. I'll make us breakfast.'

'Pancakes. Lots of 'em.'

'As you command.'

'Damn straight,' Jane mumbled 'I wasn't in any danger by the way.'

'No?'

'Nothing wrong with Bucky,' her voice was thick with sleep 'seems nice.'

Thor said nothing.

'Besides, you were nearby, if I was in any danger I'd just yell for you.'

'Good point.'

'I know.'

Thor laid a warm hand on her belly and smiled when he was greeted with a little kick.

'I would rather die than let either of you come to harm,' he said, serious for a moment.

'There you go, I'm in no danger.'

He smiled at her faith in him, but he would still not trust Bucky, not entirely. He knew it was not the man's fault and, Norns knew, he could understand Steve's position- better than anyone in fact- but he would not risk his new family. He had precious little time with both of them as it was.

'Jane?'

No reply, her breathing was steady with the hint of a snore. He smiled wider and settled in beside her, following her to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really REALLY enjoy this little story! It's so much fun to write!

'I have a vanilla decaf latte for...' Tony gave a dramatic pause as he read the name scrawled on the cup 'fatty Foster?'

Jane got up and snatched it out of his hand 'If you hadn't revolutionised the use of hard light I would punch you in the face then sit on you till you pass out.'

'You'd have to catch me first fat-ass!'

Tony took off at a run then turned when Jane just sat back down at her bench, bent over her work again- or as much as she could bend over anything, given that her pregnant belly seemed to get in the way of the most basic tasks. Bruce had helpfully re-designed a workbench, then printed and assembled it that morning, so far it seemed to work fine.

The R n' D department at Avengers Tower, like everything else, had a raised observation platform, purely because of Tony's ego. It allowed for people to watch him do totally awesome science, obviously. Now it was only occupied by one man.

Bucky liked just watching them go about their day, Jane occasionally sitting up and waving, him waving back, feeling an odd little pang every time she winced from strain- but there wasn't anything he could do about it and that stung him somehow. Now he began to pay attention to the _very_ annoyed look on her face... except it wasn't just annoyance, it was... hurt. Frustration. He had seen that look on someone else, someone else short and weak, but still trying to make up for it with determination and righteous indignation-

'What? Something I said? Hormones getting you down?' Tony strode back again 'What's up?'

'You,' Jane snarled 'I am so _so_ sick of the 'fat' jokes!'

'Woah, calm down Foster,' Tony was backing away in mock fear, which made Bucky's fists itch 'you're like a great big angry-'

'Stop _right there_!'

Bucky felt _something_ , odd, old, something he couldn't identify as he saw the tiny Jane Foster, almost as round as she was tall, stand in front of Tony Stark (who, to be fair, was not much taller than she was) and deliver a speech as if she were raining blows.

'I am really, really tired, I haven't slept well in a week, my back hurts, my front hurts, I had a panic attack in the middle of the night because the little bastard had his feet in my lungs and I couldn't breathe, I thought I was being throttled! And I'm not even at the half-way point either, I still have five more months of this!'

Bucky hung back, keeping his distance, but that same instinct was there, willing to step in and _punch Stark so hard his skull would cave in._

He blinked and focused, feeling _it_ begin to surface again- until he heard Jane's voice again.

'But the real kick in the pants Stark? I might not even live to see my son walk! He's almost _completely_ Asgardian, so it'll take a century for him to get to a year's milestone for a human baby, by then I'll most likely be dead.'

The room was silent, Bruce holding back and watching the scene, Bucky doing the same and Stark almost frozen to the spot.

'I... didn't know that.'

'Well, now that you do, would you mind not making fun of my pregnancy?' Jane asked, a little more calmly.

'Uh... sure, okay...' Tony rubbed the back of his neck 'I didn't mean it in a nasty way or anything-'

'Well, sorry, apparently making fun of a person's size makes them very unhappy, who'd've thunk it?'

The whole room fell completely silent.

'I'll... not be a jackass. Sorry Foster.'

'Apology accepted,' Jane held up her cup 'and thank you for the latte.'

Bucky felt as though the gravity had been taken from him, as though he were weightless and floating free. _This is relief_ , he realised _relief I wasn't needed._

He made a note to tell Sam and Steve again. He needed to boast about his achievements, it was a part of his recovery, but he couldn't really describe it. He would have to think on this one for a while, enjoying the feeling of, for once, feeling cut loose and unburdened from the events around him.

 

It was past midnight when he found Jane sitting in the common area, enjoying a bowl of sour laces and barbecue dip. She smiled when she saw him 'Hey Bucky! Want some? They're pretty good.'

He did and she was right, the explosion of sweet and crackling and sour was intense and delicious.

'How was your day?' She asked, licking sauce off her fingers.

'Good,' he said 'I saw you talking to Stark.'

'You mean yelling,' she sighed 'do you think I was being too harsh? I mean, I know he makes fun of people, that's just what he does, he doesn't mean anything by it... I just got angry.'

'You were right to be, he _was_ making fun of you,' Bucky toyed with a boot lace, watching the way the sugar coating fell to the floor as he turned it 'he shouldn't.'

'He was probably trying to make me feel like one of the guys I suppose, but it just felt so... personal. Like... neither of them can get pregnant, they don't know what it's like, but... I brought this on myself, I know that, I could've... decided not to have it.'

'But you want this child?' Bucky asked, nodding to her belly.

'Yeah, more than anything.'

'Do you... mind that you won't survive to see your son grow up?' He was unsure of how to ask, regretting it immediately. She just shrugged and smiled lovingly at her belly 'I won't see him, won't get to share his life, but his life will be amazing! He'll grow up in Asgard, as a prince, with servants and a vast library and an archive of nebulae and stars and an Einstein Rosen bridge right outside his front door! And best of all...'

She shifted and placed a hand just above her naval 'He'll have a loving and caring father who will do what's best for him. Not all kids get that.'

Bucky looked at her, feeling some of the weight return 'Is there no way for you to live to? I thought they were super advanced aliens?'

'If there is a way, the Asgardians aren't sharing it,' Jane sighed 'Thor said he'll try, but I'm not going to get my hopes up. I am just happy little Modi will be okay.'

She turned to him 'Don't tell Stark we're naming him that, he'll only take the piss. It's an Asgardian name.'

'I won't,' he found the smile creep up on him 'it's a nice name.'

'Means 'anger' apparently,' she chuckled 'I like how it sounds. Thor chose it, I said if it were a boy he could name it.'

They sat in silent eating, Bucky eventually saying 'You are brave.'

'Thanks,' she smiled back 'that's sweet of you to say.'

She leaned forward for another packet of sweets 'Speaking of which, I have a bag of sweet and sour skittles and ketchup with our names on, if you want?'

Bucky did want and helped himself.

 


End file.
